Luminescent-tube sign



4J. BOYCE ll-:r Al.

LUMINESCENT TUBE S IGN May 2, 1933.

-REFLECT BRCKGRO NON Filed Jan. 2, 1952 4s Fig.

, attac mg the character to the supporting Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE JAMES BOYCE., OF LAKETON TOWNSHIP, ALLEGAN COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND RICH- ABD BOYCE, OF MARION, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS T0 CHICAGO GLASS NOVELTY COR- PORATION, OF MARION, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINDIANA LummiscENT-TUBE SIGN y Application led January 2, ,1932. Serial No. 584,866.

y This invention relates to signs of the class' in which neon tubes or similar luminescent tubes are emplo ed.

It is very di cult to produce artistic letters and other sign characters of neon tubes because of the limitations inherent in the use of glass tubing. This diiiiculty approaches impracticability in the case of small letters, it being quite impossible to make double-tube neon letters of the oneinch size,-or example.

Another disadvantage attending the use of4 neon tube letters is the relatively high cost thereof, the initial cost of such a sign being relatively ,great and the replacement of broken letters involving much expense..

Still another objection to signs made of neon tube letters is due to the fact that while visibility is great, legibility, even at moderate distances, is poor. Such -poor legibility is probably due to the dazzling brilliance of the letters and the intermingling of the rays of light emitted from the character strokes.

The present invention aims to obviate the obections above noted. Briefly stated, our object is to make possible the production of luminescent-tube signs comprising elaborate or artistic letters, as distin uished from the relatively plain forms to w ich glass tubing is necessarily restricted, to reduce the cost of such signs, to improve legibility, to provide for changeability, and to attain attractiveness whether the luminescent tube be operating or not.

In the accom anying drawing,

F' re 1 is a ront vlew of a slgn embodyin t e features of my invention.

ig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. -3 and 4 are sections on line 2-'2 illustrating diierent methods of attachin the character to the background.

. Fig. 5 is a fragmental view of a modified form.

Fig. 6 is a section lon line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

' 7 illustrates still another means of panel.

Fig. 8 is al1-attempt to represent the visual eiect produced by a sign character when illuminated.

Referring to Figs. 1 and2: The embodiment herein shown of the invention comprises a shadow box 1 which contains a luminescent tube 2 that surrounds the characters constituting the word, words, symbols,

or other elements of the Sign. The shadow box and the tube 2 may be of any desired outline. They may be of generally rectangular form or of some shape conforming to the theme of the sign; or they may be an outline reproduction of a trade-mark or trade symbol. On the back 3 of the shadow box 1 are mounted the 'sign characters 4.

These are preferably formed of molded or' blown glass, the character strokes being concavo-convex, as shown in Fig. 6 hereof, and more fully in the Lutwyche Patent No. 682,212, dated Sept. 10, 1901. The letters are usually formed of crystal, that is to say,

transparent colorless glass, and arey gilded on their concave sides. In Figs. 3, 4 and 6,

the gold coating is indicated at 5. While a gold reflecting surface is preferable, silver givesl acceptable results.

It is desirable that the letters or other sign characters 4 be mounted upon a mat or nonv be mounted directly upon the back 3 or-,upon any preferred form of supporting panel,

the' surface of the backing or panel being made substantially nonreflectng.

The letters or'sign characters 4 maybe `mounted upon the background 1n various ways. For example, they may be cemented upon the sheet 6, as indicated in Fig. 3, the

reference numeral 8 denoting a layer of ce-v ment by which the edges of the letter are affixed to the background. If desired, the

letters maybe secured in place by means of small slender screws or bolts 9 (Figs. 2 and 4). -Where two screws are employed for each character, the use of cement may be dispensed with. Where one screw is used, as lindicated in Fig. 4, cement is employed to assist in holding the letter in proper position. Preferably, however, the letters are attached to the sheet 6, the back 3 or other supporting panel by means of wire 10 passed through openings in the letter and the support, as shown in Fig. 7. The wire and the openings are in practice quite linvisible. The wire fastenings are or may be supplemented by cement.

In the form shown in Fig. l, theneon tube 2 is ex osed so asto be in plain view, whereas in t e modified form shown in Fig. 5 the shadow box comprises an Iinwardly extending perimetral rim or flange 11 which overhangs the tube. e

It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that the neon tube 2 is in a plane parallel to and forwardly of the plane in which the sign characters 4 are located. Thus the light emit- -ed sides of the character strokes.

ted from the tube 2 strikes upon the round- Since the letters are of transparent glass and have smooth exteriors and a metallic reflecting film u on the inner or concave surfaces, the light rom the neon tube is reflected-from the curved or sloping sides of the character strokes and causes ,the opposite sides of each character stroke to be strongly illuminated. The middle or highest portion of the convex character stroke does not reflect light to an observer standing in front of the sign; consequently, that portion of the character stroke appears to be black. The brightly `illuminated sloping sides of the character stroke and the black or unilluminated middle portion of the stroke cause the letter to appear, to an observer standing in front. of

the sign, to be a double-outline letter, as

' not.

Aletters, whereas such letters cannot practically be formed of glass tubing.

The invention permits of a great saving in cost, the cost lbeing in the neighborhood of a sixth or an eighth of that of a doubletube neon letter.

Since the letters are highly reflecting, they are very effective and attractive in daylight whether the neon tube be operating or The letters may be easily and cheaply replaced, if broken. The border tube, being relatively simple in form, also may be readily replaced at small expense, if necessary.

If variations are desired, the sign characters may be removed and others substituted, thus giving the advantages incident to changeability.

The screw heads, being small and being in the dark zone, are, for all lpractical purposes, invisible.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the use of neon tubes,

but that luminescent tubes containing various other gases or mixtures of gases may be employed.v n x While the embodiment selected for illustration comprises a shadow box, it should be understood that the neon tube and the sign characters may be mounted upon any suitable supporting panel.

We claim as our invention: y

1. A sign comprising a' sign character having a smooth highly-reflecting convex surface, a non-reflecting background for the sign character, and a luminescent-gas ,tube surrounding the character but located in a plane parallel with and forward of the plane of the character and serving to impart a double-outline appearance to the sign character.

2. A sign comprising a sign character which is concavo-convex in cross section, said character being formed of transparent colorless glass and having a smooth highlyreflecting convex surface and a reflecting coating on the concave surface, a non-reflecting background for the sign character, and a luminescent-gas tube surrounding the character but located in a plane parallel with and forward of the plane of the character and serving to impart a double-outline appearance to the sign character.

3. A sign comprising a shadow box, a luminescent-gas tube within said box, si n characters mounted upon the back of t e l box, said tube surrounding said characters but located in a plane -parallel to and forward of the plane of the characters, and serving to impart` a double-outline appearance to the sign character, and a nonrellecting background in said shadow box for said characters.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto ailixcd our signatures. e

A JAMES BOYCE.

RICHARD BOYCE. 

